I've recently started playing live again after a lengthy hiatus due to COVID. My first three sessions saw me up by nearly two buy-ins. I just had my first losing session yesterday (down 1/6 buy-in), and one hand has been bugging me.
The table is a pretty standard live 1/2. Three older gents who limped a lot and rarely raised. Two guys in his thirties who was very loose and difficult to shake off pots. Two guys in their forties who were tight aggressive.
I'm in the LJ with QJ off. Older gent limped and I raised it up to 6BB. Button was one of the loose thirties and he called. Blinds fold. Older gent calls.
Flop gives me the straight.
KT9 with two hearts.
Older gent checks and I bet 6BB again. I figured I wanted action, aware that if a heart came I would likely have to slow down but so long as the turn was a blank I could build the pot. They both called.
Turn was 4. There were now two flush draws, hearts and diamonds. I figured it was unlikely one of them diamonds on that flop. Older gent checked, I bet almost pot. Button thought for a moment and called. Older gent folded to make it heads up.
River came down with the dreaded heart.
I checked and the Button bet over half pot. I hated this spot. I thought for a while and decided that there was no way he could have two pair or a set here since those combos would almost certainly check behind for showdown value on a super scary board. I could only think that a flush would make this play. I highly doubted it could be a bluff. Who would call almost pot on a scary board like that with nothing just on the off chance I checked the river? Players at 1/2 don't make plays like this hardly ever.
So, I folded (He called the clock on me after only 3 minutes which I thought was a scumbag move) Perhaps that ought to have been a clue that he was uncomfortable in the hand? Do players ever call the clock when they are strong? You don't want to dissuade a call if you are strong, right?
I think I should have gone ahead and bet the river and taken any doubt away. I could only get raised here by a flush. Me checking enabled him to potentially make a play on me. It also lost me value on two pairs or sets. Even so, was I correct in thinking he can only have a flush when he best this river?
I'm also wondering what I should do when I am the pre flop aggressor when the table seems determined to always the flop. I raise a standard 3BB and get 4+ callers nearly every time. I know my range is ahead of there's, but even so, AQ against so many callers is hard to play unless you hit something strong. I really don't want to raise to like 10BB. That just seems suicidal in the long term. I still get a couple of callers even when I do attack limped pots. Is it just as simple as tightening up early and waiting for spots to 3bet?
Advice will be appreciated. Thanks.
